I'm sure all of you have used or heard the phrase “end of discussion” before. Maybe it was in a comically cliché conversation you had with you parents about going to a concert, or maybe it was in a far more serious and culturally relevant context. As I look through the many opinion articles that people have written about recent events such as: the Orlando nightclub shooting or the Brock Turner sexual assault controversy or the 2016 United States presidential election, I see those three words used everywhere as a tool to draw emphasis to an argument and express strong emotion. Now many people would agree with the arguments these articles make. In some cases, I might agree as well. However, it doesn't really matter what your opinion is on a topic. It doesn't change the fact that the mere existence and use of this phrase is quite dangerous. This is because it outright states that the author is unwilling to listen to or consider other arguments; furthermore, it demands that readers should not listen to or have other arguments, and if they do, they are completely and immediately wrong.

One of the things that makes modern society superior to past societies is the populace's ability to make any argument freely, easily, and hopefully without censorship. It is even written into the United States Bill of Rights. With technology and social media, there is a convenient way to get these ideas and deeply held convictions into the world and to the eyes of humanity. Unfortunately, we face the problem that we also live in a world where most people quickly form opinions and then become aggressively resistant to all other opinions. How is the world supposed to advance if we don't work together with other people that come from different backgrounds, that may have different moral systems, to create the best society possible?

One of the biggest causes behind this aggression is the fallacy that we can, as individuals, know what would be the best of all possible worlds. Even if you are absolutely certain your stance is the most progressive and upright opinion there is, it is dangerous to not listen to and seriously consider other viewpoints. This is because someone with an opinion different than yours will be less willing to listen your opinion if you quickly and angrily reject theirs. Which, for example, can be done by saying “end of discussion.” Our opinions are directly connected to our identity, and when you reject someone's opinion, you reject them. Therefore, by ignoring an opinion you may view as racist, sexist, unjust, unfair, backwards, or any other negative adjective there is, you are slowing social change. If you wish to change someone's heart and mind, the worst thing you can do is ignore them. The best thing you can do is to listen to their ideas and rationally discuss how they are different than your own. If you are wondering, this is still the best thing to do if they reject your opinion.

It can be hard sometimes to have an open dialogue in such an irrational world; however, that only makes it more necessary. In short, we must never end the discussion, because if we do, we will stop progressing as a society. Thank you for considering my opinion.